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Which Linux?

I have used Linux on my home machines for around 15 years now and have lost track of the distros I've tried. I settled on Fedora for years until the move to Gnome 3 as I just couldn't take to it so hopped from one to the other for ages. I ran Arch for a while until the rolling update caused me a catastrophic failure but I've now been using Manjaro with KDE for a while now and all is good at the minute. I accept I just tempted another Arch-like catastrophic failure now :)
 
Just started, though I admined a unix server box at work aeons ago. Tried Virtual Box on a Mac but a bit wobbley.

This week setup a Win 10 machine as dual boot with Ubuntu Studio (for darktable). Lets see how long it lasts
 
It should be fine. Worst case scenario, delete everything from Windows and start over.
 
A recent problem I've had is installing from a USB stick. It seemed easier with a DVD. The last couple of days I've been trying to install OpenSuse this way, but can't seem to get a "clean" total install using all the HDD. Bits of the previous Kubuntu are still hanging around. It seems you have to format a USB stick to Fat32, then copy the "iso" image onit, but not directly copy as one might imagine, but using a specific programme that makes the USB "bootable." This was not an issue with the DVD.

Having said that, I started with Red Hat about 15 years ago, then Mandriva (from which point I forgot all about Windows) then Mepis, then Kubuntu which I still use with complete satisfaction. Tried Suse and Mint, but did not get on with them.

As someone has already said, it seems like different distros "get on" with different hardware better or worse.
 
For me Mint is the one, particularly Mint Mate, as I tend to run slightly older hardware, Mate seems faster than Cinnamon.
 
Use Ubuntu and Centos at work. Have used Mandrake and Slack in the past. Few problems, but my usage patterns are specific. YMMV.

Actually in the process of building a full custom distribution now, with custom boot arrangements, which we use for a work project.
 
Manjaro is a new one, for me. I think the place that renovates corporate laptops, where I just bought mine, uses it as an alternative to Win10. I'll have to try it now!
 
As someone has already said, it seems like different distros "get on" with different hardware better or worse.
It can also fluctuate over time with the same distribution. Depending on the hardware there may be several different options for driver source code which may vary significantly in stability and performance. Some of the better performing drivers may need downloading from elsewhere because the distribution doesn't want to distribute the manufacturer's closed binary or licensing may forbid distribution by third parties. Sorting this out for your own hardware is part of the learning curve for linux. It varies a bit from distribution to distribution with the more pragmatic usually getting things running more quickly than those with a stronger faith but if you then add time to check and optimise it starts to even out.
 
Just had a classic example of that. Installed Suse with no problems, then discovered the WifFi was not working. It seems I have a chipset that you need to download the driver for. I did, as Tar.giz, but being incompetent failed to install it. Fed up, so back to Kubuntu.
 
I have used Linux on my home machines for around 15 years now and have lost track of the distros I've tried. I settled on Fedora for years until the move to Gnome 3 as I just couldn't take to it so hopped from one to the other for ages. I ran Arch for a while until the rolling update caused me a catastrophic failure but I've now been using Manjaro with KDE for a while now and all is good at the minute. I accept I just tempted another Arch-like catastrophic failure now :)

Sounds much like my journey over the years, though I did use Mandrake for a while. Gosh I think I started with Linux at RedHat 4.2. I've settled on Elementary, but I don't use it as much as I use to. I have a hankering to install Fedora and see how it has changed - I remember Fedora coming with no propriety drivers, all complied.

For me, until M$ (how old is that!) ports Office on to Linux then there is no mainstream desktop for Linux, however much a hate to say that having done my bit of Linux advocacy in the past. But I don't see M$ doing that anytime some; even if Richard Stallman has been presenting the ethics of open s/w to MS.
 
Sounds much like my journey over the years, though I did use Mandrake for a while. Gosh I think I started with Linux at RedHat 4.2. I've settled on Elementary, but I don't use it as much as I use to. I have a hankering to install Fedora and see how it has changed - I remember Fedora coming with no propriety drivers, all complied.

For me, until M$ (how old is that!) ports Office on to Linux then there is no mainstream desktop for Linux, however much a hate to say that having done my bit of Linux advocacy in the past. But I don't see M$ doing that anytime some; even if Richard Stallman has been presenting the ethics of open s/w to MS.

I actually prefer Libre Office now. I find the UI less confusing than Office, but then I never really saw the point of the ribbon.

I am stuck with Windows at work because it is the standard desktop, and we have certain development tools that do not run on Linux. I am stuck with it at home because of need to be like work, and I really like the Windows photo editing programs I use, which don't have Linux versions. Otherwise I would be binning it come January, when Windows 7 support expires.

Kind regards

- Garry
 
Been using Open Office, now called Libre Office, and never, never had any problem with it, And for many years I was working hard with it! I use Gimp for image manipulation, and it is fine for me. Now using, on my desktop, Kubuntu 14 which has been installed for at least 3 years with never a problem,
 
In the spirit of full disclosure, and after numerous crashes yesterday with Firefox on Ubuntu, I ran memtest86 from Grub this AM.
I aborted about halfway through after 120,000 errors and ordered a Crucial 8M stick for $30.
 
As I said, not a layman's OS.
No computer O/S is for the layman thats why GUIs* were invented to make computers appear user friendly. Underneath the hood they are extremely complex and have vast capabilities.

The problem with this thread is that the title is vague and not specific hence the many different answers. As ever it depends on what you want to do. In my case the requirement was for a trouble free macOS and Windows replacement that didn't take control of your computer didn't spy on you nor try to steal info about you. It also had to run on old and new machines and be easy for me to set up for none technical users.

Linux Mint does that.

Cheers,

DV

* First GUI was on the Xerox Alto in the '70s. Xerox invented a lot of things that we take for granted today such as WYSIWYG, networking and ethernet.
 
No computer O/S is for the layman thats why GUIs* were invented to make computers appear user friendly. Underneath the hood they are extremely complex and have vast capabilities.

yes maybe that was the world view a few decades ago, and the origin of the GUI along with the invention of the mouse........... These days the interface and the O/S in many cases are inextricably linked.
 
First GUI was on the Xerox Alto in the '70s. Xerox invented a lot of things that we take for granted today such as WYSIWYG, networking and ethernet.

Yes, and the mouse too. That tremendous work inspired Gates and Jobs, who made it available to the general public.

I agree that the thread is too general, but the OP wanted someting simple I think, easy to install and maintain.
 


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